Spate of false sex complaints

Hornby police have wasted hundreds of hours on a string of false sex complaints.

Officers at the Hornby station in south-west Christchurch say there has been a spate of false sexual allegations in recent months, including claims of abduction and sexual attacks.

In one recent incident, more than 20 police took part in an operation costing $15,650 after a Darfield woman falsely complained she had been abducted.

The woman was sentenced to 150 hours' community work.

Last year, 290 people nationwide were charged with making a false complaint, wasting almost 3000 hours of police time and costing more than $230,000.